Wine Soaked Dream
by PenrithPenPal
Summary: <html><head></head>Just something fun that I decided to experiment with. This came about while I was making silly movies with my kids with MovieMaker and songs from Dr Horrible and using footage from New World Zorro. Hope it's not too silly for people. Not sure I will continue it as a longer story. Disclaimer : All copyright belongs to the original owners, and I am not getting paid for this.</html>


Crossover with lyrics of "Freeze Ray_"_, from _Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) Neil Patrick Harris_

**Wine Soaked Dream**

Diego rose from his wooden bench, covering a yawn. Checking his pocket watch he realised with a start that it was almost midnight. How time flew when he was with old friends!

"Roderigo, Mediaz, I think I need to say goodnight, gentlemen," he murmured, with a smile.

"Sure you can't have one more glass of wine for old time's sake, de la Vega?"

"I am sure I've had too many already, my friend. This is not university and we are not irresponsible boys anymore," he said, patting the men on their shoulders. "I, for one, am too old for such things…"

"Too old?" His friends laughed. "You'd think he was married with six children…the way he talks…"

Diego chuckled and shook his head. He was exhausted. Spending time with these two was like duelling constantly, what with riding all over the estate, roping cattle, swimming in the river, rushing about like teenagers. It was fun but doomed to be temporary…thank goodness for that. Someone was bound to notice eventually that Diego was a man of action instead of books. Secretly they had wrestled and fenced and climbed across cliff tops, just as they had in Madrid. And argued politics far into the night, while he had star gazed with the telescope, under the stars.

"Victoria," he said, turning to the raven haired beauty still polishing glassware at the bar nearby. "You wouldn't have a spare room for a good friend, would you? I haven't had a good night's sleep in ages, and I really don't trust myself to ride home…"

"It couldn't be those bottles of wine we just shared, could it, de la Vega?"

Diego chuckled. "I'm sure I'll only have myself to blame, and yes, probably you two as well, for a decent headache tomorrow morning. Due to the fact I normally abstain, it's hitting me pretty hard right now. You will excuse me, won't you, gentlemen?"

"See you tomorrow, Diego. Not too early…eh?"

Zzz

"Pedro is helping me make a bath, but you could have the first bath, if you like…" Victoria said, handing him a towel.

"Am I that dusty?"

"And you smell…like you have been roping cattle all day…" She screwed up her nose slightly. He frowned a little and she laughed. "Just like all the other men in the tavern…"

Diego chuckled softly. "I suppose I do. I would love a bath. Are you sure? You must want a bath as well…"

"What? Do I smell?"

Like the rose that you are, he thought. He merely smiled and shrugged. She folded her arms, but her eyes were smiling.

"The room next to mine is free. It's the only one left, I'm afraid."

"I'm sure I don't snore…well, not too loudly, anyway," he assured her.

He carefully negotiated the stairs to the rooms, his hand steadying himself, as he realised his balance was somewhat worse for wear. He was exhausted, and had been for days. Not that he would trade a good night's sleep for the fun and the memories they had shared over the last week.

Zzz

Sinking into the hot water, Diego sighed with gratitude. He had been kept up all night, and the night before, and the night before that he had ridden out as Zorro. His only sleep lately had come in the form of light naps in siesta, and Victoria was probably annoyed that Zorro had neglected to see her for a few weeks.

His muscles were finally relaxing in the warmth of the water, his mind slowly letting go of the burdens and busyness of the week. He had managed to strain a muscle riding as Zorro, and although it didn't bother him much as Diego, it still restricted movement enough to be annoying. He'd have to find time to put some ointment on it, if he could ever break away from his tearaway friends.

Warm enough in the summer heat, Diego didn't feel like towelling off after the bath. Instead he placed his white shirt back over his head for modesty's sake, letting the cotton material grow damp on his body. Coming down to his mid-thigh, the shirt was modest enough but it was no nightshirt. He hoped it was good enough for his needs, but it was frankly too hot to bother with the sturdy trousers.

Reaching out for saddlebags which he had collected from Esperanza, he took out the book he had been reading whenever he got a moment to himself. The wine made him feel mellow and at ease with the world, but his reflexes were dulled, he noticed, as the book slipped from his grasp.

"Are you finished with the bath, Diego?" Victoria asked, from the other side of the door. "Can Pedro come to collect it?"

"Of course," Diego answered, as he stooped down to collect his book. Slipping into the bed, he had a thought. "I'm decent. You could come in and chat while you're waiting for Pedro to finish filling the bath."

"Is that even seemly?" Victoria asked, peeking through the door. She must be surprised, he realised. He was always so protective of her reputation, and here he was inviting her into his private room.

"Leave the door open…of course. Wouldn't want any gossip…" He said, with a smile.

"Do you need some warm milk?" She asked, remembering her role as hostess.

"In this heat?" Diego smiled. "I'll be fine. The bath was just what I needed, by the way…"

She was looking at his brown suit, folded neatly over the back of the wooden chair. A strange expression came into her eyes. Diego wasn't sure what it meant at first, but then he realised.

"I am decent enough," he said gently. "And the door is wide open…"

"Uh ha," she said. She nodded and swallowed. Her eyes moved away with difficulty from the clothes to his face, as her hands fidgeted with the hem of her apron. "What are you reading, Diego?"

"Predictions of the future," he said with a smile. "It's all scientific. Based on the science of our day, and scientists' imagination…not real predictions. I wonder if any of them will come to pass…"

"Tell me one," she asked, sitting on the other wooden chair near the bed.

He smiled at her. She wasn't really interested in scientific breakthroughs or the future of science. It didn't really concern her in her tavern. She was only interested in their friendship - that was something that always cheered him.

"Ice," he said after a moment. "The cold preserves things…imagine the food storage potential…They just have to work out how to stop the ice from melting."

"Only that?" She smiled. "Sounds easy enough…do they really believe that's possible?"

"People are designing steam engines as we speak, that could power carriages and ships far into the future. It's at the design stage, but the potential…"

"Oh, yes, the potential…," she said, her eyes twinkling. "What else do they have in mind?"

"Bigger and better weapons, I'm afraid," he answered, with a slight frown. The joking mood was lessened somewhat.

She made a face. "It's a pity an ice cannon can't be made to freeze stupid people until they can be reasoned with."

Diego chuckled despite himself. "In reality it would kill them. The human body can't be exposed to extreme cold like that and survive."

"Is it so bad?"

"Yes, Victoria, it is."

She sighed as she rose. "Oh well, so much for science helping the world," she grumbled. "I'll go and fetch you a jug of water and a glass, in case you get thirsty during the night. I hope you sleep well, Diego."

"Thank you. Sleep well, Victoria."

Zzz

By the time Diego put the book down, the rest of the tavern was silent. He crossed over to the window and peered out, surveying the pueblo before settling down for sleep. A small fox had ventured into the town and was rifling through food scraps, with a cautious audacity that he admired. He wished the creature good luck with whatever it was up to, and went back to bed.

He shifted his pillow this way and that way, finally tossing it out of the bed completely. He turned onto his left side, and then his right. It wasn't his own bed, and it was never going to be as comfortable. It was hot and he was flustered from the late night reading, his exhaustion, and the uncomfortable fact that Victoria was in the next room, fast asleep.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, and closed his eyes, willing his muscles to relax. Finally he slept.

Zzz

The world was muted, all the senses muted. Colours were faded and sounds whispers.

Catching sight of himself, Diego realised he was dressed in his best. A dark navy suit, a white shirt, and a black tie…the sort of clothes he'd wear to church or to a party. The aroma of festive cooking wafted over him, and he could almost taste gingerbread. Looking around he could see Felipe, and Victoria was close by. The other people seemed to fade into the background like stage props in a theatre.

It was the tavern, at Christmas. Standing silently, he watched Victoria move towards the bar to restock a tray of festive drinks. He drank in her beauty, dazzled by her smile and the rays of joy that radiated from her face. Oh, yes, he could guess. Zorro had made an appearance moments before.

"With my freeze ray I will stop the world," she informed him as she turned around.

"What?" He said, confused. What had she said?

"With my freeze ray I will find the time to find the words to…tell you how…how you make…make me feel…What's the phrase?"

He continued to watch her speechless as she frowned, searching for words. What was she trying to say? Was she trying to say that she loved him? He glanced down at himself again, but this time he was dressed in black, and he knew she was trying to tell Zorro, not him. He sighed in confusion.

"Like a fool…" She was saying. He grasped her arm and led her aside. She wasn't making sense to him, not at all.

"With my freeze ray I will stop the pain…"

"What are you talking about, Victoria? What freeze ray? What pain?"

They were suddenly by the river, but the river had frozen over. Impossible, Diego told himself. Never would happen. Los Angeles was far too warm for that, even in winter. Being the middle of summer, it was doubly impossible. Diego shuddered at the sudden chill in the air.

"I'll bend the world to our will, and we'll make time stand still…"

She was talking in rhyme. Since when did Victoria talk in rhyme? Diego glanced around him. Now the colours around him were far too vivid…not real…a dream. The determination and innocence on her face was pure Victoria, but her words seemed to be more menacing that way.

He spun her around to face him, his two hands firmly grasping her upper arms. He shook her gently.

"That's the plan, rule the world, you and me, any day," she responded fiercely. Ignoring his confusion, she stood on tiptoe to kiss him hard on the mouth.

"Now is that such a bad plan, Diego?" She said, innocently, as her hands went to remove the mask.

"No! Don't! Please!" He cried out, backing away from the inevitable unmasking.

As he landed hard on the floor next to the bed, he still murmured in his sleep.

"Diego…Diego…" Someone was shaking him awake. Wakefulness was a long time coming. He slowly became aware of Victoria crouching beside him.

Flinching away from her, he struggled to escape her hands. Entangled as he was in sheets and light blankets, his modesty was intact, but he felt more trapped.

"No, don't," he mumbled, still half asleep.

"You're having a nightmare, Diego. Wake up, you're safe," Victoria assured him.

"No freeze ray?"

"What?"

Good, he thought, no freeze ray, as he fought to stay asleep – surely this was part of the dream? She was so close, so beautiful. She smelt intensely of roses from her bath. Through half open eyes, he could see that her night dress left little to the imagination, in the candlelight. One tiny kiss could be blamed on a dream, surely?

"Wake up, Diego…"

He audaciously raised his head, his eyes lightly closed, and brushed her lips with his, and then deepened it gently. He was able to savour the kiss for a moment as Victoria responded automatically, before thrusting him away with two hands.

"Diego de la Vega!"

"Huh…?" He responded, rousing himself. If she was going to hit him, it was better if he could dodge. "Victoria?" Innocence was a possible defence, he reasoned. "What are you doing here? This is my bedroom."

"You…were shouting and you fell out of bed," she said doubtfully. "I was checking that you were safe." She stood, smoothing her nightdress, then crossing her arms against her chest protectively. Her face was flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry for waking you," he said, sleepily. "You have to work tomorrow. I'm alright….really."

"Is that all you are sorry for, Diego?" She said crossly.

"Is there anything else? Did I swear in my sleep? I apologize if I did…I really don't recall what I did…" Diego said. One more lie couldn't hurt that badly, could it? He wasn't going to own up to that kiss, let alone apologize for it.

"N…no. I suppose not," she said thoughtfully. She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, and then bit it lightly as if considering the kiss properly. "Good night, Diego. Try to sleep better."

"I'll try, Victoria. Goodnight." She smiled, nervously, and left the room.

As he climbed back into bed he sighed. At least Victoria wasn't working towards ruling the world. She probably could do it with one hand tied behind her back, and if it ever came to pass she would probably be kind and just, although the dream Victoria had sounded quite evil.

He smiled, interlacing his fingers behind his head as he lay back on the bed. That kiss had been definitely underhanded, and he doubted he would have done it without the influence of the wine, but it had been so worth it.


End file.
